Click on a flag below for an update on a recent election.

Haiti

Japan

Peru

Zimbabwe

Mexico

Want to know when elections will be held around the world?

Outside Links:
Extra is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.

Don't pass up your opportunity to have your say. If you're eighteen, make sure you're registered to vote. Click here for more information on voter registration.

The Democracy Lab A site with lots of links to democracy in action resources.

As American As Apple Pie

The fourth of July. Red, white and blue. Apple pie. Democracy. These are things we associate with America. Especially democracy.

Do we take democracy for granted?

In a few months every American age 18 and over will be able to cast a vote for the presidential candidate of their choice (as well as a host of other representatives). With election season about to kick into high gear (the Republican
convention's later this month) it's a good time to think about democracy and what it means.

Extra hopes to raise some questions-- but only you have the answers. Please let us know what you think, we'll be continuing this discussion throughout the summer and fall election season.

Worth Fighting For?

Would you fight for democracy? Would you die for it?

In Indonesia, China, Burma and elsewhere, young people risk their lives daily in the fight for democracy.

In mature democracies, on the other hand, some say young people are increasingly disengaging from politics, tuning out at elections, and feeling alienated from political institutions and leaders.

Where does this apathy come from? Is this a threat to democracy?

The Right to Choose

How healthy is democracy around the world?

Some might say that democracy never had it so good.

Communism's collapse has been followed by the birth of new democracies.

Yet threatened by nationalism and declining political participation, some say democracy has also never been so fragile.

So What Is Democracy?

Democracy means different things to different people. Basically the idea is that we, the people, have the right to choose our government.

In a democracy, we have the final authority, we have the right to make or at least influence decisions that affect our everyday lives.

The idea of democracy originated in ancient Greece, more than two thousand years ago. The term itself comes from the Greek words demos, meaning "people," and kratos, meaning "authority."

Those who study democracy speak of "direct" and "representative" democracy.

In a direct democracy everyone would participate in making all policy decisions. In countries and large organizations direct democracy is nearly impossible.

So there's direct democracy's sister: representative democracy. People vote to elect representatives-- in a free and fair electoral system-- to make policy for them.

Checks and Balances

One of the major strengths of democracy is that accountability is built into the system.

In a democracy people have the right to know about the decisions their elected officials make. If they disagree they can peacefully protest, send messages, and ultimately, vote for someone else in the next election. Media must be free to investigate and report on how well our representatives do their job. Special interest groups keep close watch on how representatives deal with certain issues.

And the power to make and implement policy is divided between a president and his advisors (the executive branch), bodies of elected officials like congress or a parliament (the legislative branch) and a justice system (the judicial branch). (Click here for a description of the difference between parliamentary and presidential democracies.)

The president can veto laws, the congress can refuse to cooperate with a president and the courts can declare laws unconstitutional. This isn't always a quick, efficient system (look how long it took for a decision to be reached about the Cuban boy, Elian Gonzalez) but as Winston Churchill once said: ""Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all others."

If you think about it, you grew up with democracy. When you were a kid, you were probably in a club where you "voted" on everything and "majority ruled". High Schools have elected student councils. Schools, in turn, are run by elected school boards. The democratic principle is part of the foundation of our society and is enshrined in our constitution.

Are they Democracies?

In places from Latin America to Africa, Europe and Asia, governments run by strong leaders-- called authoritarian regimes-- have given way to democratic forces, increasingly responsive governments and increasingly open societies.

Many countries have embarked upon a process of democratization for the first time. Others have moved to restore their democratic roots.

Still, democracy in other countries is not always as broad or deep or practiced the same way it is in the United States.

States as diverse as the United States, various one-party states in Africa as well as socialist and communist states all describe themselves as "democratic".

Now might be a good time to take a look at some recent elections around the world: in Mexico, Zimbabwe, Japan, Peru and Haiti. Click on the boxes on the left for an update. (And click here for a list of upcoming elections around the world.)

What do these elections tell us about the state of democracy in Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America?

Does It Work?

How well has democracy worked?

While no one really questions the role of democracy in, say, the United States or Britain or France, it is still a matter of dispute for many of the poorer countries in the world.

Some argue that economic growth requires a strong leader who can implement unpopular programs which would be impossible to carry out in a democracy.

Some say that there can be no democracy in times of trouble or war, that democracy itself leads to disorder, that democracy diminishes efficiency, that democracy must wait until development is fully achieved.

Others strongly disagree: "Whatever evidence critics of democracy can find ... must not be allowed to conceal a deeper truth : democracy contributes to preserving peace and security, securing justice and human rights, and promoting economic and social development," says Boutros Boutros-Ghali, a former Secretary General of the United Nations.

Back to the idea of accountability-- with out the checks and balances of a democracy, corruption is often widespread.

And human rights can be violated without recourse. Sometimes, it's hard to find out about human rights abuses because, without the tights guaranteed by a democracy, the press may not be not be free to investigate and report on allegations of human rights violations.

Human Rights

This brings us to the subject of human rights.

The democratic way of life has always been based on principles of individual equality. All citizens in a democratic state can expect that they themselves, their possessions and their rights will be protected. They can expect equal opportunity to pursue their lives and careers and equal rights to participate in political representation.

Specific freedoms commonly recognize by democratic governments include: freedom of religion; freedom of the press; freedom of speech; freedom of association and assembly; freedom from arbitrary arrest and imprisonment; and freedom to work and live where and how you choose. These freedoms are often protected by the constitution.

Do we take this for granted? What would our country be like if these rights were not protected? If we didn't have these freedoms? What if we couldn't complain or take institutions and individuals to court?

No Free Lunch

But democracy only works if each citizen fulfills their duties and obligations to involve themselves in the social and political affairs of their community.

Democracy is not only about rights and freedoms. It also requires all members to participate actively in society and obligates them to act as a responsible, well-informed citizen concerned with the common good.

Democracy doesn’t just give to the people, it also requires each person’s input.

How Free is Free ?

With all this talk of freedom and rights it's also worth mentioning that there are limits.

The people of a democratic society can think, act and express themselves without undue interference and domination by the government, as long as they conform to the rules of law.

Democracy does not imply an absolute freedom because a democratic society is composed of many citizens, each with his or her own choices and objectives and the action of any one individual will always have an impact upon others.

Thus, one person’s ‘right’ or ‘freedom’ is not acceptable when it violates another person’s rights.

In guarding the various democratic freedoms, it is the role of the judiciary (the courts) to balance the individual interests against any possible injury and damage to other people and the community.

For instance, freedom of speech does not allow people to slander (that is, to make a false or damaging statement about) others, and the right to choose one’s employment does not allow child prostitution.

What do you think? Do you take democracy for granted? Are you fed up or bored with elections? Why? What are your responsibilities as a citizen even if you can't vote?

Past top stories...